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Vitamin C
Name: dianecederlund
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Around 1993
Question:
I have a student who would like some information about vitamin C.
What are the key words associated with this topic?
Replies:
Key words: Ascorbic Acid, water soluble, collagen formation
(hydroxylation of amino acids proline and lysine), removal of ammonia,
cholesterol metabolism, enhanced absorption or protection of folacin.
Deficiency leads to scurvy (takes several months on a " C free diet"). All
animals need it, but only primates (humans includes), guinea pigs, fruit bats,
and an Indian bird cannot make it so it is required in the diet. Any good
nutrition or biochemistry college text will have plenty of information.
Lou Harnisch
Vitamin C is also recognized as the body's main water-soluble
ANTIOXIDANT. This means that it is able to quench dangerous molecules called
FREE RADICALS in the body. When too many free radicals accumulate in the
body, they may damage cells by setting up chain reactions which destabilize
the body. This process is called OXIDATION. So, the words antioxidant, free
radicals, and oxidation may also help in the search. Current medical research
shows that vitamin C and other antioxidants are very promising to prevent
conditions which may be caused by oxidation (such as atherosclerosis,
cataracts, cancer, arthritis). Other antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-
carotene, selenium, niacin, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione
peroxidase, etc.
wizkid
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Update: June 2012
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